Machine for drying paper.



W. M.` BARBER. MACHINE FOR DRYING PAPER. APPLICATmN man FEB. 16. '1916.

Put-@md Apr. 2,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET vv. M'. BARBER. MAC'HINE FOR DHYING PAPER. APPLICATION FlLEQ FEBl 15. 1916..

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mmm Api 2,1918.

l 4 SHEET N u n u -w uml@ W. M. BARBER. MACHINE FOR DRYING PAPER. APPLICATION FILED IEB. I6. me.

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INVEPI m @lllhlllll'lldt 'WILLIAM M. BRBER, QF SMERVLLE, IVASSJQCHSETTS.

l MACHXNE 1F03. DRYNG BAPEB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ldatented .flpr. 2, i918.

application file. February 16, 7.916. Serial No. 7&574.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, WILLniisr M. BARBER, of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, a citizen oit the -llnited States, have invented a new and useful improve-ment in Machines ifor Drying Paper, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description7 reference being hadfto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The `present invention relates to av machine for drying,- all kinds of paper in the continu-- ous web and especially sized paper, both engine-sized and tub=sized The mechanical drying olf paper in the continuous web, that is, by application of artificial heat, presents difficulties Which must be overcome in order to successfully accomplish the Work. Owing to the continuous running of the web, the drying of the paper must be accomplished Within a relatively limited time. The application of a high degree of heat, however, tends to bake the paper and injure its fiber. 0n the other hand, if too light a heat be employed, the drying cannot be successfully accomplished Within the allotted time. @Wing to the difference in papers an application ci' heat Which would be ciiectivc in one case Would be detrimental in another. For cX- ample, a very thin paper might allow of a continuous application of heat for drying it. The same application of heat, however, to a thicker paper and especially sized paper would have the initial eiihect of drying the surfaces of the sheet and form it were thin shells which would prevent the evaporation of moisture from the interior of the sheet and accordingly the interior oi the sheetz Would be leit undried. With the thicker paper the heat must be so moderated y that the sheet will be dried gradually and uniformly throughout. 7With some kinds of paper, as for example paper to be calen dered, it is desirable that a certain percentage otl moisture be left in the sheet. ln fact, with practically all paperV great care should be exercised in the drying after the moisture is about gone, not to applyltoo high a degree of heat as this would overdry the paper and leave it brittle and WithoutI lite.

Another diiliculty resides in the :tact that as the sheet dries it; contracts longitudinally and laterally. Such contraction must be compensated for at all. times during' the drying. Unless compensated for the contraction might otherwise tend to stretch the paper and the bonded liber would become disrupted. b

t is my object to overcome all difficulties of the kind above indicated and other ditli culties which might bc referred to, and to provide a machine applicable i'or the drying oit' any kind oit paper in the continuous web and especially sized papers which should be dried with great care.

My invention can perhaps best be seen and understood by reference to the drawings, in which an embodiment thereof' is shown applied to that type ot' paper-drying machine `which Jforms the subject matter ot my United vStates Patent No. 690,629, dated January 7, 1902, only those parts being shown necessary `for a proper understandiiflg of the invention.

Figure 1 is front elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation.

Fig. 3 is a forward end elevation.

Figs. e and 5 re sectional details of construction to which special reference will later be made, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective of a further detail of construction.

Referring to the dravvings:-

The frameV of the machine comprises lines ot' spaced posts or standards l risingalong its front and rear sides. These posts are connected at the top and near the bottom along the front and rear sides of the ma- -chine by interposed :trame sections 2 which run longitudinally of the machine and' form the top and bottom side rails thereof. The interposed sections or side rails 2 are con-- nccted by the rods 3 which run laterally between the two sides of the machine.

From the above descriptionit will be seen that the frame is of a sectional character and admits of any desired variation in the longitudinal extension of theu machine as may be required.

The side rails 2 furnish supports t'or the rolls around which the `web extends. these rolls 5 represents the top rolls or those that are supportedby the top side rails of the machine, and 6 the bottom rolls supported by the bottom side rails. The rolls 5 are each mounted to turn Within bearings formed by pillows or blocks 8 secured directly to the under sides of the top side rails,

whilethe bottom rolls 6 are each mounted to turn within a cradle 9 which is mounted Vto turn pivotally within pillows or blocks side rails.

10 secured tothe upper sides of the bottom Further attention will be directcd at a later point to this special mounting of the bottom rolls.

11 represents the web of paper. The web passes successively over the top rolls and beneath tl bottom rolls, forming a succession of nai-zow spaces or compartments opening successively upwardly and downwardly, allsubstantially as shown and described in my aforesaid patent. The web is moved by power applied to the top rolls 5. Any of the known modes of power transmission may be employed in this connection, although it is desirable that power be applied to all the top These units take the form in the present in stance of boxes adapted to hold air under compression whereby it may emanate therefrom and be applied to the web. The boxes are arranged both along the top and along the under sides of the machine whereby the air issuing from them may enter the various spaces or compartments between the folds -of the web. Of these boxes those along the top of the machine above vthe web, extend laterally lbetween the top side :rails and rest thereon, being secured tokv the rails in any suitable manner. The bottom line of boxes, or those arranged below the web, also extend laterally of the machine and are secured to depend from the bottom side rails, attachment bei'ng secured in any suitable manner.

Each of the boxes is of sufficient size to contain a considerable volume of air, and it is also to be observed that their width is preferablysuch that each box may supply air to two or more openings or compartments between the folds of the web to which the box is adjacent. Each of the top line of boxes is preferably provided with a bottom 13 having in it nozzles 14 directed into the several compartments between the folds of the web over which the box is arranged,

. the. disposition of these nozzles also being such that the air lissuing therefrom may be directed to flow against the sides of the web. In the bottom line of boxes each box is provided with a perforated cover 15 through which the air issues into the several coinpartments ,beneath which the box is placed. Air-distributing nozzles are dispensed within the bottom boxes for the reason that hot air is usually applied to the web and the tendency of this air is to rise and accordingly it does not require so much forcible distribution as that imparted by a nozzle.

Air under compression is supplied to the various boxes from an air chest common to all the boxes and within which the air is compressed. This chest is indicated by the receptacle 16 running along the rear side of themachine and occupying preferably an elevated position. chest may be supported in any suitable manner. Atmospheric air is introduced into and is compressed within the chest by a rotary fan 17 mounted within an opening 1`8-in the wall of the chest. Thel fan operates in the usual manner. The air compressed with- This receptacle orV in the chest is led into the various boxes by conduits, 19 representing those which connect with the upper or top line of boxes and 2O the conduits 4leading from the chest and connecting with the lower line of boxes.

Located within each of the air-.distrilouting units are steam heating coils 21. The coils in the upper line of boxes rest upon bars 22 laid in the bottoms of the boxes and are otherwise supported by the cross tie rods 3 which are arranged to extend beneath the bottoms of the boxes. The coils contained within the lower line of boxes rest upon rods 23 supported by straps 24 from the tie rods 3 which connect the bottom side rails of themachine. i

Steam is introduced into the various coils from steam pipes arranged outside the re' spective lines of boxes -and running along the front side of the machine, 26 representing the pipe supplying steam to the coils inv admission of steam to any of the coils may be entirely shut ofi or otherwise controlledy as may be desired, with the resultant effect that the air issuing from any one box may be either cool air or that having the same temperature as that introduced into the box from the chest, or it may be heated air hav ing such variety of temperature as a full or partial admission of steam to the coil may permit. The steam coils are each provided with such return pipes and traps for carrying ofl" the water of condensation as may be required. s

It will thus be seen that there is provided means whereby practically any desired varia tion may be obtained in the temperature of air applied to the dierent portions of the web. For example, steam may be shut olf '4.5 rails of the frame.

5 practised Aas circumstances may require.

l Reference has already been made to the fact that in a machine lof lthis kind some provision must necessarily be made to compensate for the contraction of the web durv ing the drying else the web becomes stretched and lthe bonding of the liber weakened, destroying the strength of the paper. A very satisfactory compensation is customarily provided through a variance in the speed er' 15. the rolls carrying the web, or, in other words,

those rolls to which the power is applied.. In the present instance, however, I have provided further means which furnish a very valuable adj nct in permitting the con* -traction ofthe we and I refer to the manlner of supporting the lower set of rolls, that is, the idler rolls around which the web passes and to which power is not applied. As previously noted, these rolls turn within a cradle comprising, as may be seen in Figs.

l and 6, a shaft or rod journaled to turn within the pillows or blocks 10 fixed to the bottom side rails of the machine. Fixed to the ends of this rod just inside' the bearings 30 in which the rods turn, are arms 31. These arms are parallel to one another and project outwardly. It isthese arms of the respective cradles which support the bottom rolls 6, these rolls being interposed between theends of the arms and turning within bearings 32 formed on the ends of the arms. Thus mounted, the rolls may n t only turn freely intheir respective crad es, but

are also supported to yield to contraction in 40 the web by the turning of each cradle 'about its axis. The normal position of each of the rolls is one in substantially the same horizontal plane with the axis of the cradle with the roll supported by the bottom side This eli'ect is obtained by the resting of the bearings 32 upon the side rails. Under these circumstances each of the rolls will yield to the contraction of that portion or fold in the web passing around it when such contraction exerts sufficient the lifting stress exerted by the web upon the roll due to contraction becomes such as 'to stretch the paper and disrupt the fiber, each roll is provided with a eounterbalance. This counterbalancc is obtained by extend'- 50 ing the rod 30 4of the cradle beyond the bearturn at the rear of the machine and securing to therod so extended an 'arm 34 upon which isV arranged an adjustable Weight 35,

the 'arm extending in a direction substanmgs within which the rod is mounted to tially reverse to that of the extension of the body of the cradle. By a proper adjustment of the weight upon the arm the weight may be brought to compensate for the weight of the roll and that portion of the cradle exerting resistance to the lifting and yielding of the roll by the contraction of the web, and the roll may be made to lift or yield when the contracting stress of the web upon the roll to lift it reaches a determinate amount. very much more tension than others before disruption of the fiber is effected, all of which can be compensated for by the adj ustment of the counterbalance to the particular paper. y

There is of course a limit to which cach of the rolls can yield, but before this limit is reached it will be understood of course that some other compensating 'means has effected a proper readjustment of the web when the roll or rolls which have yielded will beeither returned to their normal position or to a position where they are capable of further yielding.

Not only does the cradling of the roll provide a very efficient means for permitting the contraction of the web, but owing to the rigidity of the cradle and its maintenance of the roll in perfect parallelism with the axial center about which the roll turns, there is insured proper centering of the web within the machine regardless of whether the web be a wide or a narrow web.`

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States l. In a machine for drying paper in the continuous web, means for carrying the web, a series of air-distributing units arranged at different points along the web from which air under pressure may be applied to different portions of the web, means for supplying air to the various units, and means whereby the temperature of the air emanating from the several units may be controlled and variation be effected in the temperature of the air emanating from certain of said units in relation to the temperature of a'ir emanating from other of said units as occasion may require.

Q. In a machine for drying paper in the continuous web, means for carrying the web whereby it may form by folds therein separate compartments, means for introducing air into said compartments whereby it may be applied to different portions of the web, and means whereby the temperature of the air introduced into said compartments and applied to the web may be controlled and variation be effected in the temperature of the air applied to certain portions of the web in relation to that applied to other portions thereof as occasion may require.

3. In a machine for drying paper in the Of course some papers will bear continuous web, means for carryingl the web whereby it may iorin by folds therein separate compartments, separate air-distributing .units arrangedrat diiicrent points along the Web adjacent said compartments for introducingr air severally thereto, means for supplying air to said units, and means whereby theJ temperature of the air ema nating fromysaid units and introduced into said compartments may be controlled as to temperature and variation be eiected in the temperature of air introduced into certain of said compartments in relation lto that introduced into other of said compartments as occasion may require.

4,-. ln a machine for drying paper in the con! nuous web, means for carrying the web, al series of air-distributing` boxes arranged adjacent said web at different points alonpI the saine for applying air to ditte-rent portions thereof, an air chest common to said boxes and connecting severally therewith, means for compressing air within said chest,

' means for heating the air within said boxes whereby hot air may emanate therefrom against said web, and means for controlling such application of heat whereby variation may be obtained in the temperature of the air emanating from said boxes and applied to different portions of the web.

5. In a machine for drying paper in the `continuous web, means for carrying the web,

a series of air-distributing boxes arranged adjacent said Web at diii'erent points along the same fdr applyingair to different portions thereofJ an air chest common to said boxes and connecting severally therewith, means `for compressing air within said chest, steam pipes contained in cach of said boxes, and means for severally controlling,- the admission of steam to said pipes.

G. In a machine for drying paper in the continuous web, means for supporting)Ir the Web whereby a `fold may be formed therein and comprising in part roll located within said fold, a counterbalanoed pivoted support carrying said roll and on which said roll turns7 and means for pivotally mounting said support whereby the roll may yield to contraction of the web by the pivotal turning of said support.

'i'. In a machine for drying paper in the .continuous web, means :tor supporting the Web whereby a fold may be formed therein andcomprising. in part a roll located within the fold, a cradle bearing said roll and Within which said rollv is mounted to turn, means for pivotally mounting said cradle, and

a counter'balancingn means carried by said cradle.

In a machine for drying paper in the nsensee continuous web, separate sets of rolls over which 'the web passes to form a succession of continuous web, separate sets of rolls over which the web passes to form-a succession of folds, and means for yieldingly supporting each roll of one of said sets of rolls whereby the roll so yieldingly supported may yield to contraction in the successive folds of the web, said means comprising a cradle or sup-v port in which the roll is mounted to turn,

means for pivotally mounting said support and a counterbalancing device carried bythe support.

l0. In a machine for dryingpaper in the continuous web: means for supporting the web whereby a fold may be formed therein and comprising in part a roll located Within the fold, a yielding carrier for Said roll Within which the roll turns, av rest for said car rier against which said carrier normally bears, and Vmeans for counterbalancing said carrier and roll carried by it.

l1. ln a` machine .tor drying paper in the continuous web means for supporting the web whereby a fold may-be formed therein and comprising, in part a roll located within the fold, a pivoted carrier for said roll on which the roll turns, said roll lying,` in a position oliset from the axis ofl said carrier, and a rest for said carrier against which 'the carrier and roll carried by it normally bear.

l2. ln a machine for drying paper in the continuous web, the combination with the frame of the machine, of separate sets of top and bottom rolls over which the'welo passes to `form a succession of folds, a yielding carrier for each one of the set of bottom rolls, each carrier resting normally upon aportion 'oit' said frame, and means for counterbalanceach of said carriers and roll carried b it y13. ln a machine for drying paper in'the continuous web, the combinationl with the frame of the machine, of separate sets of top and bottom rolls over which the Web passes to form a succession oi folds, a pivoted carrier for bearing each roll of the bottom set of 'rolls and within whichcarrier the roll turns in a position otiset from the axial center of said carrier, said carrier and roll carried by it resting normally upon a portion oi said frame, and means for counterbalanciog each ,of said carriers and roll carried it. y WILLAM M. BARBER. 

